Black and White
by Tazzmania Tygar
Summary: The Shang Kitten is traveling to Corus...driven by the horrors in her past...
1. Nerolie the black

Black and White  
  
By Tazzmania Tygar  
  
I OWN NOTHING (although I would like a Vanilla Coke right about now...)  
  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
Nerolie Rowan, also the Shang Kitten, aka Lady Nerolie of Quentin rode a sturdy dappled grey mare named Darcie down the great road north, towards Corus. Nerolie, who was 16 and three quarters, had not long ago embarked on a great journey back to the country of her birth: Tortall. An orphaned noble and the heir to Fief Quentin, Nerolie was a great beauty. She had long white-blonde hair, Cobalt eyes framed by long dark lashes and blood red Cupid's bow lips. She also had dimples, many a woman's worst nightmare. Her mother had been kin to the family of Stone Mountain, which more than accounted for Nerolie's fair good looks.  
  
Nerolie may have looked like a nice young maiden but in truth she felt anything but. She had inherited her father's brilliant mind, darkened by some of the horrors she had encountered in her more youthful days. By taking part in many battles large and small she had sharpened her battle skills considerably. She regretted being too far away to help with Tortall's recent war against Scanra.  
  
Being exposed to such undesirable things she had been changed, hardened. Her experiences from a sweet girl with not a care in the world to a lonely, experienced warrior of war had moulded her. Despite all these, it was rare that Nerolie would seek companionship of the male or female kind. She had no shortage of male admirers at the few places she stopped. These would-be suitors often tried to woo her with many a tale, song or gift. Nerolie felt sorry for the men that chose to waste their time in such a way for she had not a care for anything of the sort. Drink a man under the table she would; share his bed for the night she would not.  
  
All Nerolie really wanted centred around one thing; getting to the city of Corus. She wanted to meet Alanna the lioness, with whom Nerolie's mentor had spent his last few days. Nerolie wished to present herself at court to prove that she was alive and ready to take charge of her fief again. She had a top-secret matter to take up with his majesty king Jonathon. She also wanted to go to Corus simply because it was a place she had not yet experienced and she was always open for adventure when it reared its' ugly head.  
  
Suddenly a bird called from high overhead. Startled by the noise, Nerolie glanced upwards and noticed that the light was quickly fading. She was approaching an inn and decided to rest in comfort for a night at least. She was tired of cold baths in streams and rocks digging into her back as she slept. The inn was named Mary's lamb and while besieged by fantasies of hot baths and real food Nerolie regally approached a boy filling the water troughs outside.  
  
"How would I go about finding a room here, lad?" she asked him, removing her black travelling cloak. He regarded her for a moment with curiosity before answering.  
  
"Jus' go inside to the bar an' ask Ivy for a room." He answered with an unfamiliar accent. "I'll see to tha' ladies 'orse then?" Nerolie took the saddlebags off her horse, slung them over her shoulder as if they weighed nothing and nodded.  
  
"You make sure she's treated good, you hear?" Nerolie told him as she flipped him a coin. She entered the warm inn and for a moment all attention was on her. Then people averted their eyes and the chatter regained volume.  
  
"One room please. I would like, if it's possible, a warm bath." She asked the pretty barmaid.  
  
"Certainly, miss." The girl replied. "Righ' this way then."  
  
Nerolie followed the girl, who couldn't have been much older than Nerolie herself up a flight of stairs and down a hallway. The girl stopped outside a door and let Nerolie in the room.  
  
"Jus' a moment miss an' I'll 'ave Gunther bring the 'ot water up." Called the barmaid over her shoulder as she walked off.  
  
Nerolie went inside the room and unpacked her saddlebags. Out came her clothes, toiletries and medicine chest. Then she unpacked the more precious items. The reed flute that Liam Ironarm had made for her and the only thing she had of her father's - The Magical Book of Everything. The book was blank; it responded to whatever the owner wanted to know. If anyone but Nerolie had tried to use the book it would snap shut and not respond. It really did seem to mention everything. The only thing she had of her mother's was a black opal pendant on a fine gold chain, hidden below Nerolie's clothes.  
  
The opal vibrated when powerful magic was being worked nearby and Nerolie realised that it was shivering profusely. Nerolie unsheathed her beautiful sword with its' blue Yamani steel blade and stepped into the hallway. She was still wearing her riding clothes; black breeches, blue silk shirt and white vest. Wisps of her blonde hair had escaped her braid and framed her determined face. She moved down a maze of hallways, using the opal to guide her to where the magic was being used. Nerolie was, perhaps, acting rashly. The magic might have been harmless. Nerolie had been raised with a strong mistrust for magic; Liam Ironarm himself had been suspicious of any mage that had crossed their path.  
  
"Never turn your back on a mage, whether they be friend or foe." The Shang dragon had always told her. She had ignored his advice once and doing so had almost cost her life.  
  
Nerolie reached the end of a corridor. The magic was being worked behind this door. Suppressing a shudder at the intensity of the magic flowing under the door she rapped on the door sharply. Just as she was about to knock again the door swung open and she found herself staring into a pair of coal black eyes.  
  
Nerolie's eyes swept up the image of the person in front of her. The coal black eyes were set in a handsome face of a young man, perhaps eighteen years old. He had curly, dark brown hair and a trim body. The boy's gaze went from her to her sword and back again.  
  
"Could you please put the sword down? You're making me very nervous." He asked in a rich voice.  
  
"Only if you stop the magic." She shot back in an instant.  
  
"If it bothers you, yes. I could stop it." He replied, staring at the sword in her ready grip. She nodded and sheathed her sword as the magic stopped. The opal stopped trembling.  
  
"My name is Cosmo Draper." He said, offering his hand.  
  
"Nerolie Rowan." She replied, using the name that she'd made up for practical purposes. She shook his hand. They stared at each other for a moment.  
  
"Ah, here comes Numair. Hey, maybe we can dine together later." He said, smiling. Nerolie hesitated.  
  
"I promise I won't do any magic." He apologised while grinning.  
  
"Alright then. Meet you downstairs in an hour." She proposed and turned to go. Instead she bumped into a very tall man who looked a lot like Cosmo, only much older with grey streaks in his hair.  
  
"Sorry," he apologised and turned aside to let her past. Everyone seems to be apologising to me today, Nerolie thought as she let herself back into her room. She threw herself onto the bed.  
  
"What am I going to wear?" she wondered aloud. "When was the last time I actually dined with anyone?" Nerolie sniffed. There was a terrible smell coming from somewhere. She noticed that the tub had been filled with hot water and understood.  
  
"Water drawn from a sulphur spring. Yuck!" She muttered.  
  
Nerolie bathed as quickly as she could after locking the door. She then threw on the only acceptably clean garment that she owned; a light white gown embroidered with blue and green thread. She weaved a blue ribbon through her freshly washed and braided hair and was ready.  
  
On her way down to the main room she noticed that the tattoo on her right arm was exposed. Liam Ironarm had created it himself when she was only four. She could only vaguely remember the pain. The tattoo cuffed her arm once and was made up of strange marks that were Ancient Shang for "This is the perilous kitten, who earned her place among the Shang through hard work, skill and dedication to her task and her teacher. Mistreat her at your own peril for she has the skill of ten men and is equal to the dragon."  
  
It had been a stretch of the truth when she was four but twelve and three quarter years later it was quite accurate. She didn't even really need her sword but it seemed a good idea to carry one just in case. Her virtue was being questioned as it was. Being an attractive young woman and travelling alone was definitely more trouble than it was worth.  
  
By the time Nerolie got downstairs an hour had passed.  
  
There weren't many women around. Then again, not many women travelled these days. It was too dangerous with lone Scanrans sometimes wandering about. She saw Cosmo sitting with the tall man she had bumped into earlier. She strode over to them, glad that her dress covered her boots. She only owned one pair of shoes and they were huge riding boots that were covered in mud and other unmentionables. When she got to Corus, she supposed, she would have to get some of those dainty little boots that the fashionable noblewomen wore, or else some of those little wooden platform sandals or something. She hadn't worn anything else but big smelly boots for years so she was quite unaware of what was fashionable. She pulled up a chair and sat down at Cosmo's table.  
  
"Hello, Nerolie. I started to think that you weren't coming! Meet Numair Salmalin, Mage extraordinaire and my esteemed cousin." Cosmo introduced, grinning broadly.  
  
"How do you do?" Nerolie pronounced politely, raising her hand to shake his. To her immense surprise, he kissed her hand and let it go.  
  
"Charmed, I'm sure." He replied.  
  
"I'm sorry I was late," apologised Nerolie as she studied Numair. "I got rather lost. This place is like a rabbit's warren." "Indeed it is." Numair acknowledged. He had curly black hair streaked with grey tied with a leather thong where Cosmo's was shorter, like a cap. They shared the same Coal black eyes to the smallest detail, though.  
  
"So, Nerolie. Why are you travelling down this lonesome road?" Numair asked conversationally. "And why are you alone?"  
  
"I'm heading to Corus." She replied earnestly.  
  
"Great! Us too. Why are you going there?" Cosmo asked cheerfully.  
  
"I have a great many errands to run there. I also wish to talk to talk to Alanna the lioness about a great man who died in the palace a long time ago." Nerolie stretched while sitting down.  
  
"Who would that be?" Numair frowned. "If you don't mind me asking."  
  
"Not at all. My mentor, Liam Ironarm or the Shang Dragon was with lady Alanna when he died. I was very young when he left me. I intend to find out the way he lived his last few days and the way he died. I was... indisposed when the official news came out." Nerolie told them sadly.  
  
"I met him once, I recall. Good man." Numair remembered.  
  
"Yes, he was." replied Nerolie.  
  
"What do you mean when you say he was your mentor?" Cosmo asked, leaning forward in his seat.  
  
"He taught me to be Shang. I'm the Shang kitten." Nerolie revealed.  
  
"Wow!" Exclaimed Cosmo, knocking over the sugar jar. Their food arrived and they chewed quietly for a few minutes.  
  
"Wait a minute," Cosmo said thoughtfully. He turned to Numair. "I thought you said that the battle for the palace was Almost twenty two years ago?"  
  
"It was." Numair replied. "I still don't understand what you're getting at."  
  
"Liam Ironarm, the Shang Dragon, Died in that battle when Eldorne and Tirragen forces combined to bring Duke Roger back to power." Cosmo said.  
  
"Ah. So?" Numair prompted.  
  
"So if Nerolie is indeed 16 and three quarters then she was born approximately four and a quarter years after Liam died. She can't possibly have known him." Cosmo revealed. They both turned to look at Nerolie, who had slipped as low as she could under the table.  
  
"The truth please, Nerolie." Numair asked sternly.  
  
"It is the truth! Just, something happened... the gods..."She trailed off.  
  
"And here I thought only Alanna was lucky enough to have gods meddling in her affairs." Numair said dryly. The subject was changed. Intensely relieved, Nerolie found herself asking the two why they were headed to the capital city.  
  
"I live at the palace and Cosmo is staying with me for extra tutoring." Numair said genially.  
  
"What do you do at the palace? Surely you work for the King?" Nerolie said curiously.  
  
"I'm King Jonathon's chief mage." Numair told her, cocking his head. Nerolie could not contain her shock. Mages! Both of them! Of course. I should have guessed. If Cosmo was playing with strong magic then the both of them probably were. The pretty serving girl interrupted her daze, bringing after dinner drinks. Nerolie took a big swallow of the strong alcohol.  
  
"This is great, Thankyou." Nerolie said. The girl smiled and curtsied.  
  
"You have a very educated manner of language for a sixteen year old commoner." Cosmo remarked.  
  
"Oh, I'm not a commoner." Nerolie told him, taking another swill of her drink.  
  
"I thought the Shang only took commoners?" Numair stated.  
  
"I'm an orphan, but my family were in the book of silver. My parents were murdered in front of me when I was two." She admitted quite matter-of- factly.  
  
"How awful! I'm so sorry." Cosmo cried, looking horrified.  
  
"My Father just had time to hide me and our most prized possessions before barbarian thieves ran up the stairs. Quentin, my fief, is southeast from Corus, on the coastal way that faces Carthak. I think it was Carthaki pirates that killed my parents and I will have my revenge." Nerolie thumped the table for emphasis.  
  
"Why would they kill your parents though? Pirates normally just steal what they can and leave." Numair wondered aloud.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think they were looking for this." She said and pulled her necklace out of her shirt to show them. "Black Opal. It's very powerful, very expensive and quite rare these days. I felt it before but I thought what I could feel was your gift." Cosmo said.  
  
"Me? The gift? No, No no no." She replied, shaking her head profusely.  
  
"Is the thought really quite so alarming?" Numair asked.  
  
"Yes, because not only is it dishonourable to use magic in battle, I'm plain scared of it. It's about the only thing I am scared of."  
  
"This could pose as a problem." Cosmo muttered.  
  
"It's quite natural to be afraid of something. I, for instance, am frightened of my wife after she's been playing with her various bows and arrows." Numair said dryly, draping his long arms across the table.  
  
"Oh?" Nerolie raised one eyebrow.  
  
"Mithros, don't get me started." Numair replied, head in hands. Cosmo laughed. By the time they had finished dinner they were talking like old friends.  
  
"We leave tomorrow. Perhaps you would ride with us?" Numair asked Nerolie. Nerolie nodded and thanked him.  
  
"I would like that." She said shyly.  
  
"Yes," Said Cosmo dreamily. "So would I."  
  
~~~~~*~~~~~  
  
I'd SO love to thank ff.net for not letting me log in and causing many a tantrum, and my friend Mel, who gave me powerful tranquilliser before fixing the problem up.  
  
Please Review!!! 


	2. The Plot Begins To Thicken

Disclaimer: I own none of this, but I did make a bit of stuff up. -------------------=)-------------=--------------=)------------=-------  
  
After arranging to meet the two mages early the next morning Numair yawned and said loudly how tired he was.  
  
"I'm going to check on my horse. Goodnight, boys." She said coyly. Numair winked and Cosmo went red.  
  
Nerolie shivered as she stepped into the cold night air. Listening for anything out of the ordinary, as was habit, she moved silently and stealthily up the path towards the stables.  
  
A little upset that the door wasn't locked- you could never be too careful with your horses- Nerolie let herself into Darcie's stall. Just as Nerolie fed Darcie an apple, she heard voices.  
  
"Now's our chance, boss. They're all asleep- none of 'em even know we're 'ere."  
  
"Patience, Rat." Someone said in soft, silky tones. "If we execute this job correctly not only will we be able to kill the mages and the girl but we may be able to rob this pace as well."  
  
Nerolie stiffened. These people had to be talking about Numair and Cosmo! Who did they mean by "the girl"? Surely not herself?  
  
"What would they gain by killing me?" Nerolie whispered to herself.  
  
"After we've done the job and done a bit of ransacking we'll set the inn on fire. They'll be so busy trying to put it out that they'll completely miss us." And the third person laughed. Nerolie gasped involuntarily.  
  
"What was that? Who's there?" cried the first person.  
  
In that moment Nerolie made a decision. She had to make sure that these thugs didn't hurt her new friends, no matter what it took. She opened the stall door and stepped out.  
  
"Only me." She said in a low voice. Her objective was to distract them long enough to hurt them. There were three men standing in the hallway looking at her. One was short and skinny with a scar running the length of his face and a mop of dirty brown hair. Another was tall and fat with pale, sweaty skin and the last was handsome and elegant with hair the colour of her own. She made slow steps towards them. She was trying to stall for time. She could try to seduce them. no, that would backfire. She had never seduced anyone her whole life and was not about to start now. But how to stall? She wondered.  
  
She would act innocent and naive.  
  
"And what would a fine young lady such as yourself be doing in a stable at this time of night?" said the blonde man snidely. The three men started moving towards her and spreading out so they could surround her.  
  
"I was just checking on my horse," she said innocently.  
  
The blonde man- Nerolie guessed he was the leader- reached out and grabbed her wrist.  
  
"How dare you? Let me go at once!" she cried in indignation. Let me go or you'll regret it, she thought.  
  
"Oh ho, what is this?" the blonde man had seen her tattoo. He talks like a noble, Nerolie thought.  
  
"Let me go!" she yelled, suddenly worried. This could be more trouble than it was worth if he was a noble.  
  
"Or what?" sneered the fat man.  
  
"Yeah, what're ye goin'ta do, girlie?" jeered the short one.  
  
"SHANG! She's a Shang!" Yelled the leader suddenly, scrambling backwards.  
  
"Huh?" said the other two in unison.  
  
"Too bad for you." Said Nerolie as she rammed the short man's nose with the heel of her hand and heard the sickening crunch.  
  
"My nose!" and he backed away cursing. In a flash, Nerolie kneed the big man where no man wants to be kneed.  
  
"Ow," he squeaked and fell over, writhing.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Nerolie saw the blonde man rush at her brandishing a knife. She threw him over hip as though he weighed as little as a feather. By the time the blonde man had come to a rest, the other two had risen and stood on either side of her. Fortunately, Nerolie was ready for that.  
  
With a Shang war cry, she leapt into the air and kicked out with both legs simultaneously. She hit the big one in the chest but the little one was dead- She'd hit him in the neck and had crushed his windpipe.  
  
The big one was momentarily stunned and Nerolie took full advantage of his condition- she hit him over the head with the shovel used for mucking out the stalls. With the big one unconscious, Nerolie turned to face the leader. He had lost his knife and was leaning against the wall panting.  
  
"Between you and me, Kitten." He said. Nerolie pushed her desire to know how he could read ancient Shang deep into her subconscious for the moment. "My name is Denzil. We shall meet again- in hell. Now prepare to die!" He attacked, launching himself at her. They matched each other almost blow for blow except for the occasional blow that Nerolie landed.  
  
Nerolie heard the door open and close, breaking her concentration. She turned her head in the sound of the noise for a moment and Denzil hit her in the jaw with enough force to send her flying across the room. Dazed, she watched Denzil run out of the stables. The fat man had gone.  
  
She shook her head to clear it and followed the two. When she arrived once again in the cold night air she saw a horrific sight. The Inn was on fire. 


	3. On The Road Again

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sorry for taking so long to update, I don't own this, blah blah blah. p.s. may contain some spoilers of Trickster's Choice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chap 3 Nerolie rushed inside. There was nobody in the common room, so everyone must have been already in bed.  
  
She ran down the hallway, banging on the doors as she went. "GET OUT!" she screamed. "FIRE!"  
  
Doors rapidly opened and the rooms emptied of their inhabitants. Nerolie ran into her own room and shoved all of her belongings into the saddlebags. Quickly leaving the room, she reached Cosmo and Numair's room. She slammed her fist against the door, having no result. She tried the door handle.  
  
"Locked." She grunted to herself. She could, of course, pick locks but that would wastes valuable time she just didn't have. Time to try the less gentle but more effective practices. Taking fighting stance, she crashed her foot into the door with all her might. Once, twice and the door crunched open.  
  
Numair was draped across the bed, snoring. Cosmo lay, Bundled up on the floor.  
  
Nerolie dashed across the room, kicking Cosmo and shaking Numair. "Up! Get up! Right now!" They sat up, yawning.  
  
"Nerolie? What's going on?" Cosmo asked sleepily. "FIRE!" she cried. "Grab your most important things and let's go!" "Mithros, Minoss and Shakith!" Numair swore as he leapt into action, grabbing two duffel bags. Cosmo grabbed another and together the raced downstairs.  
  
The Fire was spreading everywhere. Cosmo and Numair poured water on the fire, seemingly from nowhere. They all burst out the front door, the opal vibrating immensely. In unity they fell onto the grass, gasping for air.  
  
Several moments later, Nerolie spotted the young serving girl. She was silently watching the fire whilst tears rolled down her face, her face a mask of utmost horror. Gunther, the little stable boy, was clutching at the girl's skirts, sobbing profusely.  
  
Nerolie got up and made her way over to them as soon as she had regained her breath.  
  
"Are you alright?" She could have kicked herself for asking such a stupid question. The maid looked at her like she was insane.  
  
"No," she said incredulously. "Our ole' lives we been livin' 'ere. Now where are we to go? There's nowt a thing for us 'ere."  
  
"How about you travel with me? You'll be safe. I'll take you to the next town, or all the way to Corus if you'd prefer." The girl gave a tiny, quivering smile.  
  
"You'd do tha' for us?" She asked, not masking the hope on her face. "It's the least I can do." Nerolie said, feeling sickly guilty. It was, after all, her fault that these two had lost the only home they had.  
  
"I do not know your name," Nerolie said, smiling softly. "If we are to travel together, I'll have to know that."  
  
"It's Ivy Oliver, miss." Said the maid shyly, curtsying. Nerolie straightened proudly.  
  
" I am Nerolie Rowan. Also Nerolie of Quentin and the Shang Kitten." Ivy gaped.  
  
"Well, let us ready ourselves if we are to leave tonight." Nerolie said feeling a little embarrassed. "I don't suppose that you'd have an extra horse? Only I don't believe that Darcie will enjoy the extra weight."  
  
"Oh, Gunther an' I 'ave our own horse. She was a wild foal bu' had a bad sickness, so we took 'er in an' raised 'er up." Ivy said proudly. Ivy and the still- sniffling Gunther went to retrieve their horse whilst Nerolie readied Darcie for the ride.  
  
"Oh, why tonight?" Nerolie muttered to herself. "I was looking forward to a bed for once. Just once."  
  
"Pardon?" Cosmo asked, having snuck up behind her.  
  
"I- Nothing." Nerolie replied glumly, realising it would do no one any good if she complained.  
  
"You did very well." Cosmo said, laying his hand on her arm. "If it weren't for you, Numair and I would be dead!" Nerolie laughed half- heartedly.  
  
"You should have seen the look on your face when I woke you!" she giggled suddenly.  
  
"I was just having a dream about you. I thought I was seeing a phantom of some sort." He leered. "We could recreate the dream that you so rudely interrupted." Nerolie sighed.  
  
"Not right now, Cosmo, I am really not in the mood."  
  
"We're 'ere!" Ivy announced, trotting up to them on a sturdy brown mare. Gunther sat huddled in the saddle behind her, staring at the charred Inn dolefully. Their horse looked very strong and was much larger than the limber and graceful Darcie. Darcie was built for speed; their horse was built for endurance.  
  
"Mount up, Cosmo. We'll find suitable camping ground down the road." Nerolie said briskly, leaping into the saddle with ease. Numair walked up, leading three horses by rein.  
  
"We're leaving now?" he asked, frowning.  
  
"We will camp, just not right here." Nerolie apologised, shuddering. She was thinking of the assassins and what would happen if their leader came back while they were unarmed and sleeping.  
  
Numair and Cosmo mounted, Numair quirking an eyebrow. "There are two dead men in the stable," he said quietly. "Might you know anything about it?" "Probably," Nerolie said, raising her own eyebrow. "How about we just drop it, eh?" "Forward!" Cosmo called, with all the extravagance of one raised by player folk. The company moved off. The sky was a pearly grey before Nerolie called for a halt. She had unofficially become the leader despite the fact that Numair was much older. Cosmo was about to fall off his horse and Numair was slumped in his saddle, fast asleep.  
  
Bemused, Nerolie poked him and he bolted upright, blinking. "Wassup?" he slurred. "We'll camp here, I think." Nerolie said, helping Ivy and Gunther to dismount.  
  
Soon all were curled up on their cosy sleeping mats and fast asleep.  
  
When Nerolie awoke, the sun was high in the sky. Numair was the only person who was up and he was using a speaking spell, talking into his palm. Who he was talking to Nerolie didn't know and she didn't much care anyway.  
  
Rolling onto the ground, she scrounged around for some sticks and rocks to fashion a crude cooking fire. Out came her flint and panpipes from her saddlebags.  
  
Striking the flint against another rock, she coaxed a tiny flame out of the spark. As she fed dry grass and small twigs into her little fire she played a lively tune on her panpipes. Every time the flame licked a larger piece of wood she played a higher note or a trill. She always played into the fire. It seemed to be a release for her weary soul. The fire danced before her eyes and she played along to it's rhythmic swaying.  
  
When the fire was fully fledged, she laid down her pipes and noticed Numair looking at her strangely. She ignored his curious look and retrieved her bow and arrow. She wasn't a perfect shot but she was very good at the least. Good enough, it would seem, to be able to bring in game and defend herself.  
  
"I'm going to wash." She announced, rising. She was still wearing her crinkled and thin dress. "Take this," Numair told her, passing her a fishing reel. He smiled. "Bring us in a fat one," Cosmo mumbled, wrapped in his blanket with his eyes still closed. 


End file.
